It is a process of pumping more than a million gallons of water along with a mix of sand and fluids [pdf] deep into the Earth to break apart the rock below and free the gas locked inside it.

It’s a technique that’s been used for decades to extract oil and natural gas from shale, but it has seen a growth spurt in recent years, thanks to technological advances, like hydrofracking, that have made it more competitive economically.

This article from “Speakeasy” (WSJ) goes into more detail on this new documentary “Gasland”:

Last night on The Daily Show, as his guest, TARP overseer Elizabeth Warren details the need for transparency, and makes the case for a smart regulatory system. They had a bit of fun with acronyms… Warren ends up “giving Jon some financial chicken soup”.
This really was an interesting interview..